2021-22 GPAC All-Sports Trophy Standings
SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Athletics is back on top of the GPAC. As announced by the league office on Friday (May 12), the Bulldog Athletic Department has claimed the 2021-22 Great Plains Athletic Conference All-Sports Championship Trophy. This marks the fourth time since the GPAC was formed that Concordia Athletics has seized the conference’s all-sports trophy. The department also reigned supreme in the GPAC during the 2002-03, 2004-05 and 2014-15 academic years and appeared poised to do the same in 2019-20 before the COVID-19 shutdown.
Director of Athletics Devin Smith presides over a department that in 2021-22 has celebrated five total conference championships while placing nine different teams within the top four of the GPAC standings. The championships have been captured by baseball (postseason), men’s basketball (regular season and postseason), women’s indoor track & field and women’s outdoor track & field. The baseball team also placed second in the regular season while the football program made a big leap forward and finished in a tie for third in the GPAC.
Said Smith, “We are so blessed to be part of a campus and community where we can align our Christian principles with our professional and personal lives. We share with our coaches that if we are conference contenders, we will be nationally relevant because of the strength of the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Here in the Bulldog Nation, we share a pursuit to be uniquely and boldly different in recruiting, relationship building and performance. We work each day being persistent in the moment and patient over time to create an athletic department this campus, community and alumni base can be proud of.”
The success at the conference level has extended to the national stage. During 2021-22, Concordia has qualified teams/athletes for national championships in the sports of baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, cross country, men’s indoor and outdoor track & field, women’s indoor and outdoor track & field, volleyball, wrestling and shooting sports. Most notably, men’s basketball and volleyball reached the NAIA national quarterfinals while women’s indoor track placed third in the nation.
Under Head Coach Matt Beisel, the women’s track program has won seven-straight GPAC titles. At conference meets in 2022, Josie Puelz was honored with the GPAC Women’s Indoor Field Performance of the Meet award and Jordan Koepke was recognized with the GPAC Women’s Outdoor Track Performance of the Meet honor. Puelz captured the third pole vault national title of her career this past March. In one of the greatest seasons ever for men’s basketball, Coach Ben Limback led the Bulldogs to their first-ever GPAC regular season title while following the lead of NAIA Second Team All-American Carter Kent. Just recently, Head Coach Ryan Dupic’s baseball team won five-straight GPAC tournament elimination games and claimed the conference postseason championship behind star second baseman Jay Adams.
The GPAC’s all-sports standings were also broken down between men and women. Concordia ranked No. 2 in the GPAC in both men’s and women’s sports.
GPAC Championships won in 2021-22:
· Baseball Postseason
· Men’s Basketball Regular Season
· Men’s Basketball Postseason
· Women’s Indoor Track & Field
· Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
Concordia teams that placed fourth or better in 2021-22
· Men’s Basketball – T-1st
· Women’s Indoor Track & Field – 1st
· Women’s Outdoor Track & Field – 1st
· Baseball – 2nd
· Football – T-3rd
· Men’s Tennis – 3rd
· Men’s Outdoor Track & Field – 3rd
· Men’s Indoor Track & Field – 4th
· Men’s Cross Country – 4th
Concordia all-time GPAC All-Sports Trophy finishes
2021-22 – 1st
2020-21 – 2nd
2019-20 – No standings (Concordia was in first place after winter sports were completed)
2018-19 – 2nd
2017-18 – 6th
2016-17 – 2nd
2015-16 – 2nd
2014-15 – 1st
2013-14 – 4th
2012-13 – 6th
2011-12 – 4th
2010-11 – 7th
2009-10 – 6th
2008-09 – 6th
2007-08 – 5th
2006-07 – 5th
2005-06 – 5th
2004-05 – 1st
2003-04 – 3rd
2002-03 – 1st
2001-02 – 2nd
2000-01 – 3rd
